


like the stars

by YumeHanabi



Series: Marital Duties [2]
Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: AU of an AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Fractured Dimensions, M/M, only angst no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:47:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27392194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumeHanabi/pseuds/YumeHanabi
Summary: On a street corner, a familiar stranger, and a crumbling world.
Relationships: Gaius/Wingul (Tales of Xillia)
Series: Marital Duties [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2001082
Comments: 10
Kudos: 7





	like the stars

**Author's Note:**

> While writing a chapter of [Concubinage](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23843062/chapters/57299641), I had the thought "what if this universe was a fractured dimension?" And of course, because I like to suffer, I just had to write something about it.
> 
> It's set in the same universe as Concubinage and uses that version of Wingul, but it's not actually part of the main storyline, so it's not necessary to read it to understand this. You just have to know the premise: Wingul's father ordered Gaius to become Wingul's concubine, and they ended up developing feelings for each other despite a rocky start.
> 
> Timeline-wise, this happens at least a year later than where CC is currently at. About 10 years before Xillia 2's present, but fractured dimensions sometimes don't follow the prime's pace. Prime characters are as-is from the game, no divergence.
> 
> Note: I use the original names for Gaius and Wingul (Arst and Lin).  
>  Hover on Long Dau for translation.

The man’s eyes bore into him, focused, intense. Lin thought he would have noticed him even if he hadn’t nearly collided with him on a street corner.

Deep crimson eyes and strands of dark hair swaying in the wind. Brows furrowed in determination. A long sword in hand.

“…Arst?”

Wrong. Arst would not just stand there without a word. Arst would never wear a coat in Efreeta, either.

“You’re not Arst.”

The stranger spoke. Arst’s voice. A little deeper. “I used to be. Not anymore.”

Lin inclined his head, eyes appraising. The coat was not the only thing that stood out. The fashion was foreign, and the token missing from his belt. His face lacked the tan of summer mornings spent practicing in the courtyard. It was thinner, too, more defined, as if he’d shed the last traces of youth.

“Are you from the future?”

His smile was different, too. Strained, despite the humor dancing in his too similar eyes. “You were always observant.”

A compliment that told everything and nothing at once.

“I am from a future,” the Arst that was not Arst went on. “But not your future.”

Lin’s eyes narrowed at him, inquisitive. “What do you seek here?”

The man’s gaze softened. Fondness. Sadness.

“You.”

Lin wanted to ask him what he meant, when another man appeared in his field of vision, silver hair bright in the sunlight.

Something tugged at Lin’s chest, bursting to be let out, insistent. Violent. His vision darkened. The only noise in his ears was an eerie ticking sound. Somehow, he had his sword in hand. Somehow, he was aiming it at the stranger’s throat.

Another sword caught it, swept it aside. Lin knew that move. He’d practiced against it—when? where? with whom? It didn’t matter. What mattered was evading it, slipping under its guard, parrying the counter. Then, just as taught, sliding his own blade aside, bringing it up, toward that patch of exposed skin above the collar. He had to be swift, for he knew he was no match against—

Against whom?

The tip of Lin’s blade stopped mere inches from its target. Frozen. Crimson eyes met golden ones.

“Arst…” Lin breathed.

What was he doing? How did this happen?

Lin’s hand was trembling. Deep within, the urge rumbled, threatening to overflow once more, along with that maddening ticking sound. _Kill. Destroy the threat. Destroy before they destroy us._

“No!” Lin threw his sword on the ground, away from him. Away from Arst.

Behind him, a girl spoke. He did not look back to see her. “He came back to himself!?”

“Lin…” the man whispered. He was not Arst. He was not Arst, but that voice…

_Fight!_ “No…” _Kill him!_ “No. I promised… I promised I wouldn’t hurt Arst again.” Tears rolled down his cheeks. He turned his head sideway toward the other man, who was pointing a spear at him. “Do it. Before it—whatever it is—takes hold of me again.”

The man glanced at the one before Lin, then nodded grimly. Lin turned back to look into those familiar eyes again. He was not Arst, but Lin was glad that would be the last sight he saw. Impulsively, he raised his hands to cradle that face. He was so warm beneath his fingertips. Gently, he pulled the face toward him and brought their lips together. It tasted sweet; different, but familiar. Lin smiled against the kiss. His lips were the same. Those lips that taught him everything about love…

_ “Hidigūnun’ tun’, Arst. Tuya… dun’edi…” _

* * *

On a street corner of the spyrix metropolis, a man stood, snowflakes fluttering around him. He stood there under the night sky, unmoving, snow catching in his hair and melting against his skin. A trembling hand rose to his face, fingers brushing against his bottom lip in wonder. The glow of the street lights shone on the wetness on his cheeks, like the twinkling stars reflected in his eyes.


End file.
